NGC 5195

NGC 5195
NGC 5195
	A Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image of Messier 51. M51A (the Whirlpool Galaxy) is the spiral galaxy on the left. NGC 5195 is the galaxy in the top right corner.
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Canes Venatici
Right ascension	13h 29m 59.6s
Declination	+47° 15′ 58″
Redshift	465 ± 10 km/s
Distance	25 ± 3 Mly (7.7 ± 1.0 Mpc)
Apparent magnitude (V)	10.5
Characteristics
Type	Amorphous or SB0 pec
Apparent size (V)	5′.8 × 4′.6
Other designations
	Messier 51b, HOLM 526B, IRAS 13278+4731, Arp 85, UGC 8494, MCG +08-25-014, PGC 47413, CGCG 246-009, VV 001b

Last updated November 28, 2024

NGC 5195 (also known as Messier 51b or M51b) is a dwarf galaxy that is interacting with the Whirlpool Galaxy (also known as M51a or NGC 5194). Both galaxies are located approximately 25 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici. Together, the two galaxies are one of the most famous interacting galaxy pairs.

History

NGC 5195 was discovered by Pierre Méchain on March 20, 1781.^[5]

Interaction with the Whirlpool Galaxy

NGC 5195 and the Whirlpool Galaxy compose one of the most noted interacting galaxy pairs in astronomy. The two galaxies are listed in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies as one of several prominent examples of a spiral galaxy with a companion galaxy.^[6] The system was also the subject of very early theoretical investigations into galaxy interactions.^[7] The two galaxies are connected by a dust-rich tidal bridge. The dust in this tidal bridge can be seen silhouetted against the center of NGC 5195. This demonstrates that NGC 5195 appears to lie behind the Whirlpool Galaxy.^[4] The encounter has significantly enhanced the spiral structure of M51.^{[ citation needed ]}

A three-pronged structure extends from NGC 5195. The middle prong seems to be bluer than the other prongs, suggesting that this feature is an extension of the Whirlpool Galaxy’s tidal tails. The structure leads to several massive plumes and streams of stars produced by the interaction with the aforementioned grand-design spiral galaxy. One massive plume is called the "Northwest Plume". However, diffuse high-speed gas within the plume suggests an origin within the Whirlpool Galaxy and not NGC 5195. The Northwest plume partially overlaps and blends it with two stellar streams extending from NGC 5195. Unlike the northwest plume, the stellar streams are bifurcated and similar in color to NGC 5195. A 2015 study observing the Whirlpool galaxy and its companion found two new and very faint tidal structures. One of them is called the "South Plume" while the other one is called the "Northeast Plume".^[8]

In January 2016, BBC science reporter Jonathan Webb said, "Astronomers have spotted two huge waves of gas being 'burped' by the black hole at the heart of a nearby galaxy. The swathes of hot gas, detected in X-ray images from NASA's Chandra space telescope, appear to be sweeping cooler hydrogen gas ahead of them. This vast, rippling belch is taking place in NGC 5195 – a small, neglected sibling of the 'Whirlpool Galaxy', 26 million light years away. That makes it one of the closest black holes blasting gas in this way". He added, "The findings, presented at the 227th meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) in Florida, are a dramatic example of 'feedback' between a supermassive black hole and its host galaxy".^[9] Webb's report cited Marie Machacek, co-author of the study from the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CFA), as saying, "We think that feedback keeps galaxies from becoming too large ... But at the same time, it can be responsible for how some stars form. This shows that black holes can create, not just destroy."^[9]

Morphology

As a consequence of the gravitational interaction with the Whirlpool Galaxy, NGC 5195 is highly distorted. Classification of its morphology is difficult, as it is sometimes identified as a lenticular galaxy or as an amorphous or irregular galaxy.^[4] It has been described as falling outside the standard morphological classification system.^[4]

Supernova

SN 1945A is the only supernova that has been detected within NGC 5195.^[2] It was found 10″ northwest of the nucleus on April 6, 1945, by Milton L. Humason using the 100-inch (2.5 m) telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory. The supernova, classified as a Type I supernova, reached a peak apparent magnitude of 14.0.^[10]

Related Research Articles

Messier 100 is a grand design intermediate spiral galaxy in the southern part of the mildly northern Coma Berenices. It is one of the brightest and largest galaxies in the Virgo Cluster and is approximately 55 million light-years from our galaxy, its diameter being 107,000 light years, and being about 60% as large. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781 and 29 days later seen again and entered by Charles Messier in his catalogue "of nebulae and star clusters". It was one of the first spiral galaxies to be discovered, and was listed as one of fourteen spiral nebulae by Lord William Parsons of Rosse in 1850. NGC 4323 and NGC 4328 are satellite galaxies of M100; the former is connected with it by a bridge of luminous matter.

The Pinwheel Galaxy is a face-on, unbarred, and counterclockwise spiral galaxy located 21 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781 and was communicated that year to Charles Messier, who verified its position for inclusion in the Messier Catalogue as one of its final entries.

Messier 61 is an intermediate barred spiral galaxy in the Virgo Cluster of galaxies. It was first discovered by Barnaba Oriani on May 5, 1779, six days before Charles Messier discovered the same galaxy. Messier had observed it on the same night as Oriani but had mistaken it for a comet. Its distance has been estimated to be 45.61 million light years from the Milky Way Galaxy. It is a member of the M61 Group of galaxies, which is a member of the Virgo II Groups, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the southern edge of the Virgo Supercluster.

The Black Eye Galaxy is a relatively isolated spiral galaxy 17 million light-years away in the mildly northern constellation of Coma Berenices. It was discovered by Edward Pigott in March 1779, and independently by Johann Elert Bode in April of the same year, as well as by Charles Messier the next year. A dark band of absorbing dust partially in front of its bright nucleus gave rise to its nicknames of the "Black Eye", "Evil Eye", or "Sleeping Beauty" galaxy. M64 is well known among amateur astronomers due to its form in small telescopes and visibility across inhabited latitudes.

Centaurus A is a galaxy in the constellation of Centaurus. It was discovered in 1826 by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop from his home in Parramatta, in New South Wales, Australia. There is considerable debate in the literature regarding the galaxy's fundamental properties such as its Hubble type and distance. It is the closest radio galaxy to Earth, as well as the closest BL Lac object, so its active galactic nucleus has been extensively studied by professional astronomers. The galaxy is also the fifth-brightest in the sky, making it an ideal amateur astronomy target. It is only visible from the southern hemisphere and low northern latitudes.

The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51a (M51a) or NGC 5194, is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus. It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici, and was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy. It is 7.22 megaparsecs away and 23.58 kiloparsecs (76,900 ly) in diameter.

Messier 63 or M63, also known as NGC 5055 or the seldom-used Sunflower Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation of Canes Venatici with approximately 400 billion stars. M63 was first discovered by the French astronomer Pierre Méchain, then later verified by his colleague Charles Messier on 14 June 1779. The galaxy became listed as object 63 in the Messier Catalogue. In the mid-19th century, Anglo-Irish astronomer Lord Rosse identified spiral structures within the galaxy, making this one of the first galaxies in which such structure was identified.

Messier 74 is a large spiral galaxy in the equatorial constellation Pisces. It is about 32 million light-years away from Earth. The galaxy contains two clearly defined spiral arms and is therefore used as an archetypal example of a grand design spiral galaxy. The galaxy's low surface brightness makes it the most difficult Messier object for amateur astronomers to observe. Its relatively large angular size and the galaxy's face-on orientation make it an ideal object for professional astronomers who want to study spiral arm structure and spiral density waves. It is estimated that M74 hosts about 100 billion stars.

Messier 89 is an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It was discovered by Charles Messier on March 18, 1781. M89 is a member of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.

NGC 3115 is a field lenticular (S0) galaxy in the constellation Sextans. The galaxy was discovered by William Herschel on February 22, 1787. At about 32 million light-years away from Earth, it is several times bigger than the Milky Way. It is a lenticular (S0) galaxy because it contains a disk and a central bulge of stars, but without a detectable spiral pattern. NGC 3115 is seen almost exactly edge-on, but was nevertheless mis-classified as elliptical. There is some speculation that NGC 3115, in its youth, was a quasar.

Messier 106 is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781. M106 is at a distance of about 22 to 25 million light-years away from Earth. M106 contains an active nucleus classified as a Type 2 Seyfert, and the presence of a central supermassive black hole has been demonstrated from radio-wavelength observations of the rotation of a disk of molecular gas orbiting within the inner light-year around the black hole. NGC 4217 is a possible companion galaxy of Messier 106. Besides the two visible arms, it has two "anomalous arms" detectable using an X-ray telescope.

Messier 108 is a barred spiral galaxy about 46 million light-years away from Earth in the northern constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781 or 1782. From the Earth, this galaxy is seen almost edge-on.

NGC 6946, sometimes referred to as the Fireworks Galaxy, is a face-on intermediate spiral galaxy with a small bright nucleus, whose location in the sky straddles the boundary between the northern constellations of Cepheus and Cygnus. Its distance from Earth is about 25.2 million light-years or 7.72 megaparsecs, similar to the distance of M101 in the constellation Ursa Major. Both were once considered to be part of the Local Group, but are now known to be among the dozen bright spiral galaxies near the Milky Way but beyond the confines of the Local Group. NGC 6946 lies within the Virgo Supercluster.

NGC 7331, also known as Caldwell 30, is an unbarred spiral galaxy about 40 million light-years (12 Mpc) away in the constellation Pegasus. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1784. NGC 7331 is the brightest galaxy in the field of a visual grouping known as the NGC 7331 Group of galaxies. In fact, the other members of the group, NGC 7335, 7336, 7337 and 7340, lie far in the background at distances of approximately 300–350 million light years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4526</span> Lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4526 is a lenticular galaxy with an embedded dusty disc, located approximately 55 million light-years from the Solar System in the Virgo constellation and discovered on 13 April 1784 by William Herschel. Herschel observed it again on 28 December 1785, resulting in the galaxy being entered twice into the New General Catalogue.

NGC 5005, also known as Caldwell 29, is an inclined spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. The galaxy has a relatively bright nucleus and a bright disk that contains multiple dust lanes. The galaxy's high surface brightness makes it an object that is visible to amateur astronomers using large amateur telescopes.

The M51 Group is a group of galaxies located in Canes Venatici. The group is named after the brightest galaxy in the group, the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51A). Other notable members include the companion galaxy to the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51B) and the Sunflower Galaxy (M63).

NGC 4921 is a barred spiral galaxy in the Coma Cluster, located in the constellation Coma Berenices. It is about 320 million light-years from Earth. The galaxy has a nucleus with a bar structure that is surrounded by a distinct ring of dust that contains recently formed, hot blue stars. The outer part consists of unusually smooth, poorly distinguished spiral arms.

NGC 7469 is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation of Pegasus. NGC 7469 is located about 200 million light-years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 7469 is approximately 90,000 light-years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on November 12, 1784.

NGC 4302 is an edge-on spiral galaxy located about 55 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices. It was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on April 8, 1784 and is a member of the Virgo Cluster.

References

↑ R. W. Sinnott, ed. (1988). The Complete New General Catalogue and Index Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters by J. L. E. Dreyer. Sky Publishing Corporation and Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-933346-51-2.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for extended name search on NGC 5195. Retrieved 2006-12-07.
↑ J. L. Tonry; A. Dressler; J. P. Blakeslee; E. A. Ajhar; et al. (2001). "The SBF Survey of Galaxy Distances. IV. SBF Magnitudes, Colors, and Distances". Astrophysical Journal. 546 (2): 681–693. arXiv: astro-ph/0011223 . Bibcode:2001ApJ...546..681T. doi:10.1086/318301. S2CID 17628238.
1 2 3 4 A. Sandage; J. Bedke (1994). Carnegie Atlas of Galaxies. Washington, D.C.: Carnegie Institution of Washington. ISBN 978-0-87279-667-6.
↑ "SEDS: NGC 5195". Archived from the original on 2007-10-22. Retrieved 2007-10-13.
↑ H. Arp (1966). "Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies". Astrophysical Journal Supplement. 14: 1–20. Bibcode:1966ApJS...14....1A. doi:10.1086/190147.
↑ A. Toomre; J. Toomre (1972). "Galactic Bridges and Tails". Astrophysical Journal. 178: 623–666. Bibcode:1972ApJ...178..623T. doi:10.1086/151823.
↑ Watkins, Aaron E.; Mihos, J. Christopher; Harding, Paul (February 2015). "Deep Imaging of M51: a New View of the Whirlpool's Extended Tidal Debris". The Astrophysical Journal. 800 (1): 7. arXiv: 1501.04599 . Bibcode:2015ApJ...800L...3W. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/800/1/L3. S2CID 118603790 . Retrieved November 18, 2022.
1 2 Webb, Jonathan (5 January 2016). "Black hole caught 'burping' galactic gas supply". BBC News Online . Retrieved 6 January 2016.
↑ M. L. Humason (1945). "Supernova in NGC 5195". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 57 (336): 174–175. Bibcode:1945PASP...57..174H. doi:10.1086/125712. S2CID 120997322.

External links

SEDS: Irregular Galaxy M51B (NGC 5195)
"NGC 5195 at ESA/Hubble". Archived from the original on July 8, 2009. Retrieved November 8, 2011.

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[sinnott1988-1] R. W. Sinnott, ed. (1988). The Complete New General Catalogue and Index Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters by J. L. E. Dreyer. Sky Publishing Corporation and Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-933346-51-2.

[ned-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for extended name search on NGC 5195. Retrieved 2006-12-07.

[tonryetal2001-3] J. L. Tonry; A. Dressler; J. P. Blakeslee; E. A. Ajhar; et al. (2001). "The SBF Survey of Galaxy Distances. IV. SBF Magnitudes, Colors, and Distances". Astrophysical Journal. 546 (2): 681–693. arXiv: astro-ph/0011223 . Bibcode:2001ApJ...546..681T. doi:10.1086/318301. S2CID 17628238.

[carnegieatlas-4] 1 2 3 4 A. Sandage; J. Bedke (1994). Carnegie Atlas of Galaxies. Washington, D.C.: Carnegie Institution of Washington. ISBN 978-0-87279-667-6.

[5] "SEDS: NGC 5195". Archived from the original on 2007-10-22. Retrieved 2007-10-13.

[arp1966-6] H. Arp (1966). "Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies". Astrophysical Journal Supplement. 14: 1–20. Bibcode:1966ApJS...14....1A. doi:10.1086/190147.

[toomretoomre1972-7] A. Toomre; J. Toomre (1972). "Galactic Bridges and Tails". Astrophysical Journal. 178: 623–666. Bibcode:1972ApJ...178..623T. doi:10.1086/151823.

[watkinsM51-8] Watkins, Aaron E.; Mihos, J. Christopher; Harding, Paul (February 2015). "Deep Imaging of M51: a New View of the Whirlpool's Extended Tidal Debris". The Astrophysical Journal. 800 (1): 7. arXiv: 1501.04599 . Bibcode:2015ApJ...800L...3W. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/800/1/L3. S2CID 118603790 . Retrieved November 18, 2022.

[BBC_News_Online_5_January_2016-9] 1 2 Webb, Jonathan (5 January 2016). "Black hole caught 'burping' galactic gas supply". BBC News Online . Retrieved 6 January 2016.

[humason1945-10] M. L. Humason (1945). "Supernova in NGC 5195". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 57 (336): 174–175. Bibcode:1945PASP...57..174H. doi:10.1086/125712. S2CID 120997322.

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